Passport / Visa

Visa exemption applies to citizens of all EU countries, most countries in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and more. Both tourists and business visitors from these countries may stay in Mexico for up to 180 days. For Russian, Turkish and Ukrainian passport holders, electronic authorisation (SAE) is required, which then grants travellers from these countries the right of a single entry followed by a stay of up to 30 days. Please consult an official source/consulate in your home country for the latest information on visa requirements. When travelling to Mexico, you will need to fill out a Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM), which is essentially a visitor’s permit for Mexico. All travellers are encouraged to do so online prior to travel, and present the printed out document upon entering the country.

Nearly every commercial airline flying into Mexico now includes the Tourism Tax (known as DNI – Derecho No Inmigrante) in the price of each flight ticket. Request an itemised receipt from your tour agent or airline, where the DNI charge is normally listed, and present it at check-in and/or immigration in order to avoid double payment. If, however, your airfare does not include this tax, or if you’ve been travelling by land, the tax will need to be paid separately. If you’re leaving Mexico by air, the easiest way to pay this tax will be at the check-in counter for your departing flight/the airport immigration office. Note that the tax can only be paid in cash, in USD, Mexican pesos or Sterling. The exact fee is subject to change; at the time of writing, it amounts to just under $30 per person. If you are departing by land, you are still required to pay this tax, which can also be done at a bank. Note that those arriving by land and departing from Mexico within 7 days are exempt from paying the fee. The DNI tax is not to be confused with the Mexican Airport Departure Tax, which will be automatically included with any flight ticket purchase, and will also appear on the itemised receipt. Make sure to hold on to any receipts, slips or documents issued to you by Mexican immigration authorities throughout the entire trip.

Puerto Vallarta is located in the Central Time zone and all times are reflected in Central time.

The easiest way to get around Puerto Vallarta is either to walk (short distances) or to catch the local bus or a minivan. Buses in Puerto Vallarta are cheap, easy to use and generally operate along the coastline. Look for the blue and white buses. Each bus fare is one-time use only and make sure you have the correct change ready for the driver. You will see where the bus is headed in the front window. If you are going back to your hotel, look for a bus with a list of hotels in the front window. If you are unsure where the bus is going, just ask the driver.

Country code: +52 Area code: 322

110V, 60 Hz